Optus announced on 11 November 2003 that it will use the Telstra wholesale DSL network, the network offering high speed internet connection to residential customers, to access the ‘last mile of copper’ between Telstra exchanges and residential customer premises. This means that Optus will now be able to offer broadband DSL to homes not currently serviced by Optus’ broadband cable, without precluding it from building its own broadband infrastructure in the future.

Gilbert + Tobin advised Optus during all stages of the transaction including the structuring and negotiation of several arrangements for the provision of separate elements of the service. The Gilbert + Tobin team includedcommunications partner, Angus Henderson and communications lawyers Madura Wijewardena and Kim Hilton, together with senior management, in-house counsel and regulatory and business staff of Optus.